Mantel clock



G. GERRITSMA 2,235,068

MANTEL CLOCK Filed June 2o, 1940 2 Shefgts-Shet 1 Rg. Z

hummm cmo/.v Caermo b M 5 Matig March 13, 19'41- G. GERRiTsMA 2,235,068

ANTEL CLOCK Filed June 20, 1 940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 w v wv om Civ@ QeusmuPatented Mar. 1-8, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I Claim.

My invention relates to timepieces and particularly to ornamental mantelclocks.

The type of clock in which my invention is embodied, in generalcomprises a clock case in which the front and sides are of plate glassmounted in metal corner frames with a metal top and base,

the dial being visible from both front and sides, and the clock movementbeing mounted behind and connected with the dial.

In such a clock, the movement is either enclosed in a housing or in somecases is left exposed within the glass case.

In the clock in which my invention is embodied,

the dial is formed as a glass ring with the hours inscribed on the face,and is supported on posts independent of any part of the movement, themovement being concealed with only inconspicuous connections to thehands of the clock, being visible.

One object of my invention is to provide a mantel clock in which thedial and hands are mounted independently, in a clock case having glasssides, the movement except for the connections to the hands, beingconcealed within the base of the case.

A second object is to provide a clock of the above character in whichthe movement may be adjusted, and wound or set from the outside of theclock case.

My invention consists in the novel construction and means employed foraccomplishing the foregoing objects and providing an artistic andreliable mantel clock.

In the accompanying specification and claim and the drawings forming apart thereof, I have described and illustrated a clock in which myinvention is embodied, but do not conne myself to the form shown, asmodifications may be made within the scope of the claim.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a face view of a clock in which my invention is embodied.

Fig. 2 is a sectional plan substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. l, aportion of the base being broken away to show means for regulating,winding and setting the movement.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragment substantially on the line 3-3, Fig. 4.

Fig. 4 is a front View enlarged, featuring the reduction gearing for thehour hand.

Fig. 5 is a fragmental plan, normal size, showing the relation of thewinding, setting and regulating means, relative to the movement.

Referring to the drawings,

I is a chambered clock base, to which are secured the corner posts II,each formed with grooves in which plate glass panels I2, I3, I4 and Iare held, forming the front, sides and back of the clock case.

A top member, I6 fits over these posts and 5 panels, bolts I'I into eachcorner post securing rigidly the elements of the case. Rigid with theplatform of the base III are the posts I9, 20, 2l, posts I9 beingprovided with forked tops 22, adapted to support, in connection with thel0 flanged element 23, the dial ring 24. The dial ring 24 is preferablyformed from plate glass with the hour figures inscribed on the outerface, and no other support or fastening other than described, isrequired. The dial is mounted concentric with the axis of the shaft 25,Figs. l, 3, 4, rigid with which is the minute hand 26 rotatable in aplane parallel with the face of the dial ring 24. The shaft is journaledin bushings 21, 28 secured respectively in the member 29, and 30 rigidtherewith. The member 29 is secured to the upper ends of the posts 20,2| the latter being tubular in form. Secured to the shaft 25 at the endremote from the hand 26, is a, pinion 30, meshing with a like pinion 3i,here shown as a crown gear. This pinion 3l is rigid with the shaft 32,journaled in the bushing 33, axially secured in the end of the tubularpost 2 I. This shaft constitutes an extension of the minute hand shaftof the clock movement A, mounted beneath the base plate or platform I8of the case. I have found it convenient to use the type of movementknown commercially as a travellers clock. This is an eight day stemwinding and setting movement of larger size than the usual watchmovement of the same general character, and it may be used withoutchange, the shaft 32 being coupled to the minute hand shaft, thusoperating through the connections described to rotate the minute hand26. The reducing gearing between the minute hand shaft and the hour handin the movement may be left in place but I prefer to remove this partfrom the movement and use it or substitute its equivalent at the clockface in the following manner: Secured to the shaft 25 is a pinion 35,Figs. 3 and 4, meshing with the intermediate gear 36, journaled on astud projecting from the extension 3l of the member 29.' Rigidly securedto and concentric with the gear 36 is the pinion 38 meshing with thegear 39, rigidly secured to and concentric with the hub 40 of the hourhand 4 I and journaled on the minute hand shaft 25, limited in axialmovement by the nut 42. It will be obvious that the combined reductiongearing between the minute and hour hands is proportioned in the ratioof l2 to l.

Returning to the movement A, Fig. 5, the element 5G constitutes anextension of the setting and winding stem of the original movement, theopening 5i in the side of the base permitting the insertion of a windingkey at In order that the stem may be moved axially for winding orsetting, I provide a bellcrank journaled in the element 53, rigid withthe under side of the platform. One arm 54 of this bellcrank is formedto engage a groove 55 on the element 5S, the other arm 56 extendingthrough the opening 51 in the side of the base, the arm 56 operating tomove the element 50 axially to engage either the winding or settingmechanism within the housing of the movement. To regulate the movementfrom the outside of the clock case, I employ the following means:Journaled in projections from the base at both sides as at 66, is ashaft 6I extending through one side of the base, and having the knurledbutton 62 to facilitate rotation. This shaft is provided with a threadedportion 63, engaging the nut 6e, slidable axially. Projecting from thisnut is the stud 65 adapted to engage a slot in the lever S5, journaledat 6l on the housing of the movement. An extension 68 of this lever, isadapted to engage a projection 69 from the movement regulator 69 withinthe housing, operative as the shaft 6I is rotated, to move the regulatormicrometrically in either direction. To protect the movement andconnections from dust, I employ a cover plate 1U tted to the base andsecured thereto.

The means I employ for connecting the extension shaft 32 to the minutehand shaft of the movement is as follows: The pinion 'l5 of the movementengages with the gearing of the movement to move the minute hand in theusual clock, and for my purpose the element 'I6 is secured to thispinion and extends upwardly and has a square hole breached in its upperend, a squared end 'Vl being formed on the end of the shaft 32 and ttedto the hole. The extension of the setting and winding shaft is connectedto the movement as follows: The stem 18 of the setting and windingmechanism is formed at its outer end 19 with a threaded portion and theend of the extension 50 is tapped to engage therewith.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

In a clock including a dial, a chambered base, a clock movement mountedtherein in a plane normal to the plane of the face of the dial, anextension of the minute hand shaft of the movement, and a countershaftgeared thereto and having a minute hand rigid with the end thereof, saidminute hand being rotatable in a plane parallel with the face of thedial; an hour hand rotatably mounted on said countershaft; and reductiongearing between the minute hand and the hour hand, to rotate the latterin relation to the minute hand to indicate the hour and minute, incombination therewith, a pair of pillars upwardly projecting from thebase,` and on which the dial is supported; another pair of pillarsupwardly projecting from the base and on which the countershaft isrotatably supported, and through one of which the said minute handextension shaft passes and in which it is journaled; the reductiongearing being mounted on the other pillar.

GIRARD GERRITSMA.

